Daisy May Cooper is said to be in talks for a major role in the next James Bond film.

The 36-year-old This Country star from the Cotswolds could be the franchise's new 'M', previously played by Judi Dench and Ralph Fiennes, when Daniel Craig's successor is chosen.

According to The Sun, producers of the long-running action series think the time is right for a major overhaul and want to cast an actress who would bring a more comedic and quirky edge to Bond's spymaster.

This comes after Daisy's close friend Phoebe Waller-Bridge joined No Time to Die as a script consultant.

A source told the tabloid newspaper: “Daisy is a close pal of Phoebe, whose involvement in Bond was such a success that it sparked an unlikely conversation.

“Suddenly the production team were getting excited about the prospect of really taking ‘M’ in a different direction.

“With Daniel leaving, it seemed the time to start looking at changes across the board and the dynamic between Bond and ‘M’ is at the heart of the films.

“So this opens the door to it being a bit lighter and more comedic going forwards — and will of course impact the direction the new 007 goes in too.”